Red Bay Psyllid Gall (Trioza magnoliae)

I opened up this gall to reveal these nymphs, some of which are closing in on adulthood. The green portion is the formation of the wings.

Florida Native Plant Red Bay (persea spp.) is the larval host and apparently damage to the plant is mostly cosmetic since the psyllids roll up the edges of leaves to produce the soft galls and many people find this disturbing.

The psyllids have their good points as they are parasitized by encyrtid wasps which are important insects in biocontrol. Birds are known to open the galls to eat the psyllids.